Construction is beginning in Jefferson on a utility-scale solar project that will be one of the largest solar projects in Wisconsin.

Chicago-based Half Moon Ventures hired S&C Electric Co. for engineering and construction of the project, which will generate 1 megawatt of electricity, or enough to power 150 homes.

The electricity generated by the Jefferson project, located in the city's business park, will be sold to WPPI Energy of Sun Prairie.

“HMV is excited to enter the renewable energy market in Wisconsin with the largest utility off-take project in the state,” says Michael Hastings, chief executive of Half Moon Ventures, in a statement. “A key goal for us on this project was local content, as HMV has deep roots in Wisconsin. We are proud to be providing the state with a boost in employment activity by awarding the EPC contract to S&C, which has a regional engineering office in Franklin.”

The project will also use 500-kilowatt inverters built by Ingeteam’s Milwaukee factory in the Menomonee River Valley, Hastings said.

The project is scheduled to be completed by the end of December, and Half Moon Ventures said it intends to use the project as a template for future utility-scale solar projects in Wisconsin.

Energy Business News

EnSync Energy Systems has shipped a utility-scale energy storage system to South Korea, the Menomonee Falls company said.

The 500-kilowatt-hour system incorporates enough battery power for four or more hours of discharge, using EnSync’s zinc bromide flow batteries as well as power electronics and converters.

Formerly known as ZBB Energy, EnSync is focused on smaller energy storage systems for commercial buildings such as projects it's built in Hawaii in recent years. But it's also been working on larger energy storage systems.